Echoes on the Pavement: NEET Protests Flare Up in Ahmedabad

The simmering anger over ongoing national examination controversies spilled onto the streets of Gujarat’s education hub on Wednesday as university students and prominent cultural figures clashed with law enforcement during a demonstration demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Students, Artists Join Hands in Protest

The protest outside Gujarat University's main campus gates brought traffic to a near standstill as hundreds of medical aspirants, student union members, and artists gathered under the July sun. Waving placards and raising slogans against the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the Union Education Ministry, the demonstrators accused authorities of jeopardising the future of lakhs of students.

Among those detained during the police action was noted Gujarati film and theatre actress Jigna Vyas, who joined the protest in solidarity with students. Her detention alongside several student leaders further intensified tensions at the site.

Scuffles Break Out as Police Detain Protesters

As slogans echoed across the university area, police personnel deployed in large numbers moved in with barricades to contain the crowd. Brief scuffles broke out after protesters attempted to push past the police cordon despite repeated warnings to disperse.

Within an hour of the protest beginning, police detained multiple demonstrators, including Vyas, and escorted them into waiting police vehicles to clear the road.

Students Vow to Continue Agitation

"How long are we expected to stay silent while our careers are auctioned off?" said a second-year science student participating in the protest. "We spend years preparing for these exams, only to see alleged paper leaks destroy our future. The minister must take moral responsibility and resign."

By evening, Gujarat University remained under heavy police deployment, while officials confirmed that the detained protesters had been taken to a nearby police station. Student leaders, however, vowed to continue their agitation, saying the movement would not end with the day's detentions.